It depends on which bronchitis your dog has. Chronic bronchitis, the long-term cough of middle-aged and older dogs, is not contagious. Infectious tracheobronchitis, better known as kennel cough, is very contagious between dogs, and a dog with Bordetella, the main kennel cough bacterium, can stay contagious for up to eight weeks after the cough stops.
You can't reliably tell the two apart by the sound of the cough. So treat any new cough as possibly catching: keep your coughing dog away from other dogs, and ask your vet how long to keep it up.
Chronic bronchitis vs kennel cough at a glance
Both are inflammation of the bronchi, the branching airways that carry air from the windpipe (trachea) into the lungs. Kennel cough usually involves the windpipe too, which is why vets call it tracheobronchitis. The similarity mostly ends there.
Chronic bronchitis | Kennel cough (infectious tracheobronchitis) | |
|---|---|---|
Contagious to other dogs? | No | Yes, very |
Cause | Usually never found; inhaled irritants and past infections may play a part | Viruses and bacteria, often several at once, including Bordetella bronchiseptica |
How it starts | Slowly; the cough builds over months | Suddenly, usually 5 to 10 days after contact with a coughing dog |
How long it lasts | Two months or more, often for life | Usually 10 to 20 days |
Typical dog | Middle-aged or older, often a small breed | Any age; puppies get sicker |
Fever or poor appetite? | Rarely | Sometimes; can mean pneumonia |
Vaccine? | No | Vaccines cover several of the causes |
Outlook | Managed, not cured; most dogs live a normal lifespan | Most dogs recover fully |
Sources: Merck Veterinary Manual, VCA Animal Hospitals, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.
How kennel cough spreads, and for how long
Kennel cough spreads mostly through the air when an infected dog coughs or sneezes. It also passes by direct contact and on shared toys, food and water bowls, hands and clothing, according to Cornell's veterinary college. Anywhere dogs gather is a hot spot: boarding kennels, daycare, grooming salons, shelters, dog shows, dog parks and vet clinics.
The catch is the tail end. Cornell notes that dogs with Bordetella can stay contagious for up to eight weeks after the signs clear, and possibly longer. Your dog may sound fine long before it stops shedding the bacteria. Keep a coughing dog away from other dogs, and ask your vet how long to wait before daycare or the dog park.
Vaccines cover several kennel cough germs, including Bordetella, parainfluenza, adenovirus, canine influenza and distemper. Your vet decides which ones your dog needs, and our guide to the oral Bordetella vaccine compares the oral, nose-drop and injectable options. Vaccination can make illness milder rather than prevent it completely, so a vaccinated dog with a cough still stays home. Our kennel cough guide covers the infectious side in more depth.
Can people catch it? Chronic bronchitis isn't an infection, so it can't spread to you. Bordetella rarely makes people sick, mainly those with weak immune systems, Cornell notes. Wash your hands after handling a coughing dog, and if your immune system is weakened, talk to your own doctor.
What is chronic bronchitis?
Chronic bronchitis is long-term inflammation of the bronchi. Irritation makes the airway lining swell and produce extra mucus. The mucus triggers coughing, the coughing irritates the airways further, and the cycle keeps itself going. Over time the airways can be permanently changed, so the condition is managed rather than cured.
The Merck Veterinary Manual defines it as a cough that persists for at least two months and is not due to any other respiratory disease.
Who gets it? Mostly middle-aged and older dogs. Small and toy breeds are affected more often, with cocker spaniels and West Highland white terriers among those named, though larger dogs get it too.
What causes it? In most dogs, no single cause is ever found. Suspected triggers include:
- tobacco smoke, air pollution and other inhaled irritants
- allergens
- repeated respiratory infections
- dental disease: VCA says it raises the risk because mouth bacteria can reach the lungs, while a specialist review calls the link proposed but unproven
Signs of chronic bronchitis
The cough is the main sign, and it tends to get more frequent over months or years. Watch for:
- a harsh, dry cough, often ending in a gag or a swallow as the dog brings up mucus
- coughing that is worst after rest, with excitement, or at the start of exercise
- wheezing or noisy breathing, especially when breathing out (more in our post on why dogs wheeze)
- tiring easily on walks
- faster breathing while resting
- in advanced cases, trouble breathing, fainting after a coughing fit or exertion, and a bluish tinge to the gums
What you usually won't see is just as telling. Dogs with chronic bronchitis rarely have a fever and usually keep eating normally. Fever, poor appetite, a runny nose or discharge from the eyes point more toward an infection such as kennel cough or pneumonia.
What does it sound like? Kennel cough is the classic "goose honk." A chronic bronchitis cough is more often harsh and hacking. But the sound of a cough doesn't reliably tell you its cause, so don't diagnose by ear. The gag at the end of a coughing fit is also easy to mistake for retching; our guide to dry heaving in dogs helps you tell them apart and covers the bloat signs that can't wait.
Other causes of a cough that won't go away
A cough that lasts for weeks isn't automatically bronchitis. Your vet will want to rule out:
- heart disease, including heart failure
- tracheal collapse, a weak, flattening windpipe common in toy breeds, which often occurs alongside chronic bronchitis
- heartworm and lungworm
- pneumonia or fungal lung infection
- cancer
So a cough that hangs on needs tests rather than a guess. Our list of common reasons dogs cough covers more of them.
How vets diagnose chronic bronchitis
There is no single test. Your vet confirms airway inflammation and rules out the look-alikes, usually with:
- a detailed history: when the cough started, how it has changed, and any other signs.
- a physical exam, listening to the chest for crackles and wheezes, and to the heart.
- blood tests, plus heartworm and fecal tests, to check general health and look for parasites.
- chest X-rays: bronchitis often leaves a typical pattern, and X-rays help rule out heart and other lung disease.
- bronchoscopy and an airway wash: under anesthesia, a thin camera looks inside the airways, and a small amount of sterile fluid is rinsed in and drawn back out so the cells and any bacteria can be examined.
Treatment your vet may use
Chronic bronchitis. Most dogs are treated at home as outpatients. Depending on the dog, your vet may prescribe:
- corticosteroids to calm airway inflammation, by mouth or inhaled through a mask and spacer
- bronchodilators to open the airways
- cough suppressants to break the cough cycle
- antibiotics, only if tests or signs point to a bacterial infection on top of the bronchitis
Finding the right mix often takes some trial and adjustment. A dog in severe breathing distress may need a hospital stay for oxygen. Misting (nebulization), steam or techniques to help clear mucus are used only as your vet suggests.
Kennel cough. Mild cases often clear on their own with rest. Your vet may prescribe a cough suppressant for comfort, or antibiotics if pneumonia is a concern. Cough suppressants are not used in dogs with pneumonia, which is one more reason to have a coughing dog checked.
Living with chronic bronchitis
Medicine is only part of the plan. These steps, agreed with your vet, help too:
- Get to a healthy weight. Extra weight makes the signs worse. Mar Vista Animal Medical Center notes that many overweight dogs need less medication, or none, once the extra weight is gone. Ask your vet for a weight-loss plan.
- Switch to a harness. A specialist review in dvm360 lists a harness instead of a neck collar and leash as part of supportive care.
- Clear the air. Keep your dog away from tobacco smoke, dust, chemical fumes, aerosol sprays and strong scents. Smoke outdoors, and consider having your dog stay elsewhere while you paint or remodel.
- Look after the teeth. VCA recommends regular toothbrushing and professional dental cleanings to cut down the mouth bacteria that could reach inflamed airways.
- Keep exercise calm. Excitement and hard exertion can set off coughing fits.
- Watch for flare-ups. Signs can worsen after sudden weather changes or on poor air-quality days. Your vet may show you how to count your dog's breathing rate at rest so you can spot changes early.
Skip human cough medicine. Over-the-counter cough and cold products for people are often ineffective in dogs and may contain decongestants or pain relievers that can harm them. Never give your dog any medicine, supplement or herbal product without checking with your vet first; your vet chooses the product and the dose.
When to call your vet
Call now (emergency):
- labored breathing, or breathing with visible effort at rest
- blue or bluish gums or tongue: VCA is clear that a bluish color means an emergency
- fainting or collapse after coughing or exercise
- a coughing dog that is also listless, off food or feverish, which can mean pneumonia
- a coughing puppy with fever or thick nasal discharge
See your vet soon (call today):
- any new cough, especially after boarding, daycare, grooming or the dog park
- a cough that hasn't clearly improved after a week
- a dog with known chronic bronchitis whose cough is getting more frequent or sounds different
Mention at your next visit:
- a stable chronic bronchitis dog whose cough is unchanged; ask about weight, the harness, dental care and whether the plan still fits
Outlook
Kennel cough is usually mild, and most dogs are back to normal within about two weeks. A small number, mainly puppies and weak or older dogs, develop pneumonia, which is why the warning signs above matter.
Chronic bronchitis doesn't go away, and it often progresses slowly. With the right treatment and the home steps above, though, most dogs keep a normal life expectancy and a good quality of life, VCA notes. Expect some trial and adjustment, and the occasional flare-up when the seasons change.
Originally written by Akosua Kumi Nyarko. Updated by the I Love Veterinary editorial team.
Sources
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Tracheobronchitis (Bronchitis) in Dogs
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Kennel Cough (Canine Infectious Tracheobronchitis)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Tracheal Collapse in Dogs
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine: Bordetellosis
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Chronic Bronchitis in Dogs
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Cyanosis in Dogs
- Veterinary Partner (VIN): Kennel Cough in Dogs
- dvm360: Canine chronic bronchitis and pulmonary fibrosis (Proceedings)
- Mar Vista Animal Medical Center: Canine Chronic Bronchitis
This article is for general information and is not a substitute for advice from your veterinarian.
